Childminder in Bolton

Inspection report for early years provision

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504879 Unique Reference Number 05 May 2006 Inspection date Victoria Gail Halliwell Inspector

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Childcare Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

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This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has been registered since 1996. She lives with her husband, 1 adult child and 2 children aged 15 and 12 years, in the Westhoughton area of Bolton. The playroom and large dining kitchen are the main areas used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of 6 children at any one time and is currently minding 5 children under 5 years and 6 school age children. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She attends two local toddler groups with the children. Shops, a park and library are all located within walking distance.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's good health is well promoted by the childminder. She implements good hygiene practices, such as regular hand washing, and ensures that high standards of cleanliness are maintained throughout her home. Under 5-year-olds are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of good personal hygiene. A well equipped bathroom area with developmentally appropriate step up, seat and individual hand towels encourage the children to toilet themselves independently. Parents are well informed of the childminder's exclusion policy which is effectively implemented to help prevent the spread of infection, should a child become unwell.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are learning the importance of healthy eating, as the childminder provides them with a varied range of nutritious meals and snacks. Children enjoy an appetising selection of home cooked meals, such as meat and potato pie or fresh fish and mash potatoes served with vegetables. In warmer weather the childminder provides outdoor seating so the children can enjoy a cold lunch of sandwiches, fruit and yoghurt outdoors in the fresh air.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good arrangements are in place so that children can play outdoors throughout the year. The attached car port provides shade during the hot weather and shelter form the wind and rain. As a result children of all ages continually enjoy the benefits of outdoor play which contributes to a healthy lifestyle. Younger children confidently manoeuvre sit and ride toys, whist older children enjoy games such as soft tennis.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are warmly welcomed into a child centred home environment. They move freely around the spacious dining kitchen and the well presented play room. Children are able to relax in comfort on the large settee or engage in a wide range of activities according to their own needs. Children have a strong sense of belonging which is promoted by the childminder who attractively displays their artwork and details of forthcoming trips and activities. An excellent selection of play materials are stored in the playroom which are easily accessible to the childminder and older children. Due to the vast selection of resources a range of developmentally appropriate toys are pre-selected by the childminder. These are placed at low level to facilitate independent choice by the younger children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has a good understanding of safety within her home. She has taken appropriate measures so that children of all ages can move around and play safely. Children are encouraged to think about their own safety and set realistic boundaries. For example, under 5-year-olds undertake their own risk assessment before riding down the slope on small outdoor toys. They skilfully control their speed with their feet and check the path to ensure it is clear before setting off. School age children are familiar with the childminder's boundaries. Through routine explanations, they understand the safety reasons why they must take individual turns on the trampoline or cross the road using the crossing patrol.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children's welfare is safeguarded by the childminder who attends regular training and has a clear understanding of her role and responsibility in respect of child protection. She is able to identify possible signs and symptoms of abuse and take appropriate action to protect children from harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and secure in the childminders care. They enjoy a warm and loving relationship which makes them feel special and valued. Young children are gently woken following their sleep time and held closely whilst they come round. They enjoy quiet activities, such as stories, which gradually stimulate their interest until they are ready to make their own choices about play activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All children participate is an interesting weekly routine and engage in a stimulating range of activities which promote their all-round development. Children are motivated by their surroundings and enjoy the diverse range of activities the childminder provides, although this is not routinely linked to planned learning. Children frequently have the opportunity to bake, paint or make collage pictures in the childminder's home. They operate with increasing independence and are encouraged to help set the table for lunch and tidy up.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Under 5-year-olds have many opportunities to develop their awareness of the local community. The childminder skilfully uses routine experiences, such as a visit to the building society or a trip to the local market to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables, as valuable learning opportunities. Through everyday experiences children are learning to count, recognise fresh produce, make comparisons about weight and engage in conversations about how things grow. Children's social skills are very well promoted by the childminder. Many children look forward to weekly visits to their 'friends' in the community.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The garden is well used and children's learning continues outdoors. The childminder effectively supports young children as they persevere with new tasks, such as, improving their hand-eye coordination through games such as croquet. The open fields provide an interesting backdrop for children to learn about the natural environments and observe the changing seasons.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals. The childminder is interested in the children's backgrounds and encourages them to be proud of their life experiences and family celebrations. All children are encouraged to participate in activities, such as baking and sports, regardless of gender. Children are becoming increasingly aware of the wider world. For example, older children have recently plotted the progress of the childminder's daughter who is travelling in Japan. Some children have had the opportunity to develop their awareness and understanding of the cultures and lifestyles of others through food tasting and interesting craft activities. However, such activities are not consistently available.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children are well occupied and interested in the activities and play materials available. As a result they are usually well behaved. Children are learning about acceptable behaviour through simple explanation and positive re-enforcement, such as praise. The childminder effectively implements positive behaviour management strategies in accordance with her behaviour management policy should unwanted behaviour occur.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder works closely with parents and promotes a mutually respectful relationship. Parents are very well informed about the childminder practices and procedures. Written information is well presented and retained by parents for future reference. The childminder values what parents have to say and information is routinely exchanged on a daily basis. As a result the childminder is well informed about and able to meet children's individual needs.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder is very experienced and has a professional approach to her work. Through participation in a quality assurance scheme, she has undertaken to assess her professional practice to meet her own aims. 'To provide a caring home environment where you and your child will feel safe and secure' and 'children will have fun whilst learning through play'. The childminder is very committed to further improving the quality of care she offers to young children and their families through continued training and development.

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Organisation

Good organisation of time and resources ensures all children participate in a varied range of interesting experiences regardless of their patterns of attendance. Available space within the premises has been carefully considered. Consequently, children are able to make meaningful choice about how and where they spend their time. The garden is particularly well used to provide additional play opportunities even during the winter months.

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Organisation

Attention to written documentation is very good. All required documentation such as records of children attendance are satisfactorily maintained. In addition, the childminder has devised a range of written policies and procedures. Overall this setting meet the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder agreed to record the times of children's attendance in the register, record existing injuries reported by parents and record children's developmental milestones. All records have been reviewed and appropriate action taken to ensure that records, which are required for the effective and safe management of the provision, are maintained.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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Complaints since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue to further develop planned learning for children under 3 years, for example by using Birth to three matters • provide additional opportunities for children of all ages to appreciate the lifestyles and cultures of others.

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The quality and standards of the care

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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